Ironing machine



Dec. 9, 1930.

A. PIEPENBRING IRONING MACHINE Filed S p 1928 2 Sheets- 2 l mented Dec.9, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFEE GUSTAVE A. PIEPENBRING, OFSTRATFOR-D, CONNECTICUT, ASSIG-NOR TO THE AMERI- CAN FABRICS COMPANY, OFBRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPQEATION 61* CON- NECTICUT IRONINGDIACHINE Application filed September 4, 1928. Serial No. 303,685.

This invention relates to an ironing machine, particularly to a machinefor ironing long strips, such as laces, ribbons and the like, althoughit is not necessarily limited thereto.

It has for an object to provide an improved ironing machine of simpleconstruction which will effectively and rapidly iron strips of materialof indefinite length.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a machine in which thefeed of the mateial to the iron is easily controlled and the ironedmaterial is effectively dried.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an ironing machine inwhich long strips of material may be ironed by passing or rubbing theheated iron longitudinally (we-r the material and in acontinuousoperation. l p

- With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consistsin certain novel features of construction, combinations and arrangementsof parts as will be more fully described in connection with theaccompanying drawings. In these drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine with certain parts broken awayto more clearly show the construction, and

Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof with certain parts broken away tomore clearly show the construction.

It is common practice to iron strips by passing them between two heatedrollers or a series of these heating rollers, but due to the smallcontact surface between the rollers and the material the speed at whichthey are operated must be very slow or a number of the rollers must beused in succession. Also there is no rubbing action in these machinesfor the smoothing effect. I have devised a machine in which the desiredrubbing action is secured and the heated surface may e as extended asdesired so that the strips or other material maybe rapidly passedthrough the ironing machine, increasing the speed of production as wellas giving a better effect, and the machine is extremely simple inconstruction. In the drawings, I have shown an embodiment of thismachine which has proven very satisfactory for ironing long strips ofmaterial such as laces, ribbons and through a suitable coupling 15, themotor preferably being an electric motor.

The drum 11 is preferably a wooden drum covered with flannel or heavyduck 16 to give the desired padding effect, and it may be made of anysuitable size. Cooperating with this drum is an iron 17 having a curvedlower surface 18 to correspond with the curvature of the surface of thedrum, and this iron is pointed at its forward end 19 where the materialenters. The iron may be made of any suitable length desired to provide aconsiderable ironing surface, and it is heated by any suitable means,such as one or more electric:

heating units carried in the iron or as separate units 20 securedthereto. These units may be connected to any suitable source of currentby leads 21. The curved surface 18 of the iron may also be provided withperforations 22 leading to a chamber s3 within the iron to which steamfrom any suitable source may be supplied from a flexible tubing 24 forthe purpose of feeding steam to the material as it passes under theiron.

The present machine includes an upright standard 25 to which is pivotedat 26 a lever 27. The iron 17 is supported on this lever by suitablesupports 28 and depends therefrom. A spring 29 is connected to thislever and to a transverse upright support 30 and normally lifts the ironfrom the drlun. The frame includes a second standard 31 to which ispivoted at 32 a lever also connected to the iron. A depending rod 34c isconnected to a foot treadle 35. The connecting rod 34; may include asuitable turn buckle 36 for the purpose of adjustment. Carried by thesupport 30 on suitable brackets 87 is a pair of rotating wheels or openframes 38 and 39. These are u preferably composed of a plurality oftransverse slats or strips extending between spaced heads or flanges 41mounted on suitable shafts in the brackets, and they are also preferablyconnected by a driving connection such as a belt or chain 42 runningover suitable pulleys or sprockets 43.

Normally when the machine is not in use the spring 29 holds the ironaway from the surface of the drum. At this time a strip may be insertedbetween the iron and the drum and then the iron may be pressed down ontothe strip by pressing on the foot treadle 35. In the drawing the machineis shown as ironing a long strip 44, such as a piece of ribbon or thelike, and the iron is shown somewhat spaced from the strip for clearnessof illustration, but it will, of course, be understood that during theironing operation the iron 18 pressed down onto this strip to press itagainst the surface of the drum. The strip 44 is taken from any suitablereel or a conoperator.

tainer as a barrel 45 and passes up over the rotary frame 38 and thencomes down, as shown at 44, and is guided under the iron 17 from theforward pointed end thereof by the The rotation of the drum 11 carriesthis strip forwardly under the iron and it is thoroughly ironed as itpasses under, as will be obvious. The strip then'passes upwardly, asshown at 44*, over the rotating frame or support 39 and passesdownwardly, as shown at 44, to a reel or a container, as a barrel 46.

It is preferred that for heavy work the sprockets or pulleys 43 be soproportioned that the member 39 will rotate somewhat faster than themember 88 to thereby take up the slack in the strip and thus prevent theaccumulation of slack after it passes the iron. This travel of the stripafter leaving the iron gives it achance to thoroughly dry before passinginto the container 46.

It will be apparent that the machine is very simple in construction, andthat the strip to be ironed is passed by the drum under the heated ironthus giving the effect of rubbing the iron over the strip. It will alsobe apparent that the pressure is easily controlled by the foot treadle.and that the strips may be very rapidly and effectively ironed as theiron may be given a relatively extended curved surface. If it is desiredto moisten the material as it passes under the iron, steam may bedischarged thereto by the perforations 22.

'Having thus set forth the nature of my in vention, what I claim is:

1. In an ironing machine a base, a rotary drum mounted on the base,means for retating the drum, an upright standard carried by the base, aleverpivoted to the standard, an iron carried by the lever and having acurved surface opposite that of the drum, means tending to lift the ironfrom the drum,

' personally operable means for pressing the controlled means forpressing the iron against the drum, a pair of spaced rotary carriersabove the iron, one of said carriers carrying a strip to a feedingposit-ion in front of the iron and the other carrier carrying the stripafter leaving the drum, and

a driving connection between the two carriers giving a greater surfacespeed to the second carrier than that of the first carrier.

3. In an ironing machine, a padded ro- 'tary drum, a heated ironassociated with the drum and having a curved surface substantiallycorresponding to that of the drum, means for moving the iron toward andfrom the drum and for pressing it against the drum, means for rotatingthe drum for passing a strip under the iron, and a pair of rotarysupports above the drum arranged so that the strip passes over one onits way to the drum and to and from the other after leaving the drum,means whereby the second support has a. greater surface speed than thefirst support, and means below the second support to receive the driedmaterial therefrom and to retain it.

4. In an ironing machine, aframe, a drum mounted on said frame, meansfor rotating the drum, an upright standard arranged laterally of thedrum, a lever pivoted to said standard and extending over the drum, aniron carried by said lever and disposed to co-operate with the drum, aspring tending to lift the iron from the drum, an upright at the end ofsaid drum, a lever pivoted to said upright and extending over the drumand connecting with the iron, said second mentioned lever being arrangedat right angles to the first mentioned lever, and manually operablemeans connected with said second mentioned lever and operable to movethe iron into engagement with the drum.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

GUSTAVE A. PIEPENBRING.

